Comparative Efficiency of Nannotrigona perilampoides, Bombus impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), and Mechanical Vibration on Fruit Production of Enclosed Habanero Pepper

Abstract

The native bee Nannotrigona perilampoides Cresson (Apidae: Meliponini) has been evaluated with promising results in greenhouse pollination of Solanaceae in Mexico. However, no comparison has been done with imported bumble bees (Apidae: Bombini), which are the most common bees used for greenhouse pollination. We compared the foraging activity and fruit production of habanero pepper. Capsicum chinense Jacquin, by using N. perilampoides and Bombus impatiens Cresson in pollination cages. Both bee species collected pollen on a similar number of flowers per unit time, but N. perilampoides visited significantly more flowers per trip, lasted longer on each flower, and spent more time per foraging trip. Ambient temperature and light intensity significantly affected the foraging activity of N. perilampoides. Light intensity was the only environmental variable that affected B. impatiens. Except for the fruit set, there were not significant differences in the quality of fruit produced by both bee species; however, N. perilampoides and B. impatiens performed better than mechanical vibration for all the variables measured. The abortion of fruit caused the low fruit set produced by B. impatiens, and we speculate it might be due to an excessive visitation rate. Pollination efficiency per visit (Spear's pollination efficiency index) was similar for both bee species in spite of the significantly lower amount of pollen removed by N. perilampoides. We suggested that the highest number of flowers visited per foraging trip coupled with adequate amounts of pollen transported, and transferred between flowers, could explain the performance of N. perilampoides as a good pollinator of habanero pepper. Our experiments confirm that N. perilampoides could be used as an alternative pollinator to Bombus in hot pepper under tropical climates.

Colony Performance of Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera, Meliponina) in a Greenhouse of Lycopersicon esculentum (Solanaceae)

“…However, stronger patterns (represented by smaller probability values, Table 1) in the external activities of bees were observed at FEG, before confinement. Additionally, the daily period of foraging in the greenhouse decreased, as well as for N. perilampoides (Cauich et al, 2004;Palma et al, 2008a), and bees visited flowers consistently for pollen collection only after approximately six months of confinement. The time required for acclimation to protected environments Table 1.…”

Comparative Toxicity of Pesticides to Stingless Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)

“…We also selected Nannotrigona perilampoides Cresson and Trigona nigra Provancher. Both of these species are commonly found across the Yucatan Peninsula, they are good pollinators in enclosed cultivars and frequent visitors of commercially important crops (Cauich et al 2004, Can-Alonzo et al 2005, Palma et al 2008.…”

Comparison of the Efficiency of the Bumble Bees <I>Bombus impatiens</I> and <I>Bombus ephippiatus</I> (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as Pollinators of Tomato in Greenhouses

“…For example, Palma et al (2008) report important behavioral differences in the foraging activity between the native stingless bee, Nanotrigona perilampoides (Cresson) when compared with B. impatiens, suggesting that the native species is better adapted to the high temperatures characteristic of greenhouses in Mexico. However, our results indicate that the bumble bee species had similar daily ßuctuations in the number of workers leaving the hive during the day and that temperature was positively correlated with foraging activity of both species.…”